Gone
by reine-des-rythmes
Summary: Pirates and Marines working together? Who would ever have imagined such a thing? Oh wait, they did that back in Alabasta. Crap, and I thought I was being original.
1. Chapter 1

Writing again. Had this in my head for the past three days. Just started writing it this evening. _In medias res. _Also - just saw the new ST movie and am sorta in shock cuz it was so freaking awesome. So yeah. Go see the movie. It will blow your mind.

Oda-sensei owns everything. 'Cept my idea, of course. And if things are wonky with the story line I reserve the right to call it AU.

* * *

Sanji's shout of "Shitty marines!!" was enough to wake Zoro from his nap against the mast. He leapt to his feet and had _Wadou_ out of its sheath before Nami could start to say, "Is that a… white flag?"

The Straw Hat pirates were in the heart of the New World, having successfully reunited after Bartholomew Kuma had sent them to all corners of the world. Zoro looked at Nami as she spoke. She had changed so much in the weeks they were separated – she still wore low-cut shirts and short skirts, but the strappy heels had been replaced by silky black boots, and she bore three spidery white scars that traveled from the tips of her fingers up to her elbows, two on her left arm and one on her right. Those, she had told everyone, were a result of playing with too much lightning. And, in Zoro's opinion, if it were possible the woman had become even more cunning and clever.

He looked over at Sanji, who upon hearing Nami's query had turned his gaze back to the Marine vessel. He hadn't changed much, though if Zoro was perfectly honest with himself, the love-cook was less of a pervert than he had been before the separation. He still doted on Nami and Robin, of course, no change there, but he no longer went out of his way to flirt with other women. Zoro always wondered what had happened to him to make him stop, but Sanji was as tight-lipped about what happened to him as Zoro himself.

As Sanji opened his mouth to agree with Nami, Zoro glanced past him to Robin, whose haunted look had worsened since their separation. Zoro didn't understand the specifics, but he knew she was a slave wherever she'd been, and the experience had made her almost impossible to reach. Luffy was the only one who had gotten her to open up, to begin her healing process, and now… without him, she was sliding deeper into her despair, her doubt.

Zoro faced the Marine ship, and saw it was flying the flag of truce. "Be on your guard, everyone," he warned, sheathing _Wadou_ but keeping his hand on the hilt.

The ship pulled up a moment later, and Usopp approached the side, Kabuto drawn and ready to fire. "W-what do you want?!" he shouted, hiding his quivering knees behind the wooden side.

"Roronoa!" barked a battle-hardened female voice. "Where are you? I know you're there! Show yourself!"

Zoro unconsciously gritted his teeth and snarled, "I don't take orders from Marines!" The other ship was close enough now that he could see those on the deck. At the fore of the stiff crowd of Marines was _her_. Tashigi.

"_What the hell do _you_ want?_" he asked menacingly, thumbing _Wadou_ an inch out of its sheath. He moved to stand beside Usopp, glaring at the Marine subcommander. "Go be with Robin," he muttered to the sniper out of the corner of his mouth.

"Wha-?"

"Just do it."

Usopp looked behind them at the woman in question, and seemed to understand. "... _Hai_, Zoro." Tashigi was yelling something.

He waited until she had finished before saying, "Didn't catch that. Could you say it again?" His mood improved slightly when he saw her face get red with her anger, but his curiosity grew when she suddenly breathed deeply and calmed down. One of her subordinates said something to her and she nodded. _Interesting_, Zoro thought.

"Roronoa," she started. "Where is your captain?"

"What do you care? You wanted to talk to me."

"Just tell me, pirate."

Zoro shrugged like it was no big deal. "He's in his quarters, sleeping."

Her brows drew down together in frustration. "Really."

"Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Wouldn't he have come up to the deck when you spotted us?"

"… He's tired."

"_Dammit_, Roronoa! Tell us the truth! Where is he? Is he on your ship, or… or was he…"

Zoro's eyebrows quirked, and something started to nag him about this situation, like something was missing – other than Luffy, of course. What was it?

"Oi, _marimo_," Sanji called quietly from behind him. "Smoker isn't there either."

Ah, that was it. The picture suddenly made a _lot_ of sense.

"Where's _your_ captain, _gaki_?"

Tashigi stared at him with a stare that burned. She didn't answer him, but instead turned around to confer with two of her men while the Straw Hat crew waited. After a moment she turned to face Zoro again.

"We need to talk, Roronoa."

"I agree, for once."

She let the remark pass. "We need each other's help if we're going to get our captains back. How about you and two of your crew come over here and –"

"Hell, no. Either you come over here or there's no deal. It's not like we need your help, anyway –"

"Zoro!" cried Nami. "But – what if they know where Luffy is? We have no idea where to even begin to look…"

He closed his eyes in exasperation. "If they _haven't_ really lost Smoker, and he's just hiding in the ship, and we send over three more crewmembers to be caught, do you think we'd ever find him?" he asked her.

He turned his head to look at her for an answer. Her jaw was set and her eyes were hard. "You're right," she said quietly.

"You can come over here," he told Tashigi. "Bring as many Marines as you want."

"Zoro!" shouted Usopp. "Th-that-that's dangerous! Are you trying to get us killed?"

Nami answered for him this time. "They can only bring ten over at a time with their boats. If they tried to bring more over they'd look foolish, because we could take out the first ten before the others got over here. It's safe, _baka_."

Tashigi took a moment to discuss the terms with her officers and then nodded to him. "We'll be there in a moment."

Zoro nodded back, and turned away from the side. He ignored the rest of the crew as he walked back to the mast, sat down and closed his eyes.

"Wake me up when they get here," he told no one in particular, and fell asleep.

* * *

For those of you who don't know:

_gaki - _brat

_marimo_ - if you don't know this you don't watch the sub. WATCH IT.

_baka_ - idiot

mmkay. Reviews are loved... and the story won't be continued if nobody likes it. At least, it won't be posted on here. :) So review, kay?


	2. Chapter 2

Hm. Writing the crew like this - post-separation, no-Luffy - is really kinda difficult. I don't think I'm writing them quite the way I can see them interact in my head, but oh well. Anyway, Zoro is AWESOME. This story is a celebration of his potential as a leader. Every first mate must be able to lead the crew when the captain is down and out, and this is when Zoro gets to shine. :)

Enjoy~

* * *

Zoro was woken with a rough kick to his shoulder. He cracked an eye open to see Sanji squatting beside him. "They're here," the cook muttered. "And what do you think they're going to do to us as soon as we've found Luffy and Smoker? Have you thought that far ahead, _aho_?"

"_Urusei_," Zoro shot back quietly. "This is our best chance to find Luffy. Plus, remember what happened in Alabasta. They let us go. Twice."

"They say third time's the charm," Sanji replied, and his mask slipped off for a moment. "Just… don't be stupid, okay?"

"Duh." They stood and Sanji was about to walk away when Zoro stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Get Robin for me, will you?"

"Robin-_chan_? What for?"

"She'll know more about any of this than I do. Whatever information Tashigi has to offer, she should hear it."

"Hai." Sanji seemed like he was about to say something else, but decided against it. He left to find Robin, and Zoro was left with Nami and Chopper to welcome the Marines now climbing up the side of the ship.

A Marine lieutenant with a long, drooping mustache leapt over the side to land on the deck lightly, his narrow grey eyes carefully studying the three Straw Hats before him. Zoro ignored him and waited for Tashigi, who followed soon after. He glared at her, and she glared back.

Once all the Marines were on deck, Nami gestured for them to follow her, mistrust in her eyes. Zoro smirked as she swung her Climatact onto her shoulder, causing the less experienced Marines' faces to twist with apprehension. Only Tashigi and the mustache man followed her at first, heading towards the galley, so she turned around to send the youths a disdainful glare. It was enough to get their legs moving again, though a few got shivers when Zoro's heavy step fell in behind them. Chopper stood to the side in Walk Point, still as a stone save for the slight swinging of his deer head to follow the group of Marines with feral eyes. He was the most menacing herbivore Zoro had ever laid eyes upon. No wonder the Marines were afraid.

Sanji and Robin were in the galley when their group entered. Nami opened the door and allowed everyone to pass inside, all the while sending daggers with her eyes, _daring_ any of the Marines to mess with them. Tashigi met her gaze, hesitated, and then passed by silently. The rest of the company kept their eyes trained on their shoes. As Zoro passed her, he met her eyes.

Her look said, _We have to find him, but if they do _anything_ to Robin…_

His look responded, _I know. She'll be safe with me, I swear._

They nodded to each other, and Nami stood outside and shut the door, choosing to remain on deck with Chopper. And no doubt to watch for a sneak attack by the Marines.

Tashigi and Mustache Man had already taken seats at one end of the table. The rest of the troops stood stiffly against the left wall. Robin was standing with Sanji in the kitchen, watching the Marines with a touch of curiosity. Zoro tried to get her attention to no avail, but Sanji saw his look and lightly touched her on the shoulder, pointing to the seat to Zoro's right. She nodded and silently – ghostlike – walked over and sat down.

"Well," Zoro said, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms.

"You said you would do nothing. No funny business," Tashigi warned him, her hand drifting towards Shigure's hilt.

"Did I?" A grin spread across his face.

"It was understood as a part of our negotiations, of course. Otherwise I wouldn't have come. We don't need you either—"

"Bullshit. You need us more than we need you—"

"Hah! You need us to tell you where they've taken them, your navigator said you had no idea where to look—"

_Damn Nami_, he thought quickly. "That was a ruse, so you would feel needed."

"_Why the hell would I need that?!_" she exclaimed, standing quickly and banging a fist on the table.

Zoro half-stood and gripped Wadou. "You wanna fight, bitch?"

Tashigi grimaced and started to slide Shigure out of its sheath, but a hand from the table forced it back. Zoro could feel Robin's hands around his own wrist, and he tried to relax. He looked down at the woman to his right. Her dark head was bowed and her hands were folded neatly on the table.

He let go of Wadou as Tashigi did the same with her own blade. As they started to sit down again the hands restraining them vanished in flurries of white petals. The room was silent.

"Now," Robin began. Zoro watched her with half-lidded eyes. He hadn't meant to lose his temper so quickly, but now that was done, Robin could take over. "If I'm not mistaken, a group calling themselves the Entertainers have taken Captain Smoker, correct?" Tashigi nodded. "They also took our captain, Monkey D. Luffy, approximately one week ago. I also understand that in Alabasta, your two crews" – here she glanced both at Zoro and Tashigi – "worked, if not collaboratively, then at least to a common end."

Tashigi interrupted. "Yeah, defeating scum like y—"

Wadou was at her neck before she could finish. "_Finish that_," Zoro whispered, feet on the table. "_I dare you to finish that sentence_."

"_Kenshi-san_, thank you, but please sit back down."

Zoro saw Sanji, who looked somewhat helpless, torn between defending Robin from Tashigi and defending Tashigi from Zoro. Zoro frowned, then stood, sheathing his sword with careful control and strolling back down the table to his seat. He jumped off and sat down again. Robin was watching him. "May I continue?" she asked him in her distant voice. He caught the tiniest note of amusement and nodded gruffly, put his feet up on the table and kicked his chair back.

He began snoring in two minutes, for good effect.

Robin chuckled, and hope for her surged through him. He could almost hear Sanji's grin, though the chef was almost certainly hiding it. "Where were we? Ah, yes. The Entertainers. You mentioned in your earlier discussion with _Kenshi-san_ that you know their whereabouts, and he said we didn't need the information. He lied."

Tashigi huffed and muttered something, and Zoro, to keep appearances, ignored it.

"What can you tell us?" Robin asked.

"What can you offer us in return, Nico Robin?" Tashigi countered.

"You sought us out, correct? Which means you are after something. Name it."

Silence reigned for a long minute, and Zoro imagined Tashigi's uncomfortable squirm. "Well," she said, "maybe it would be best if I told you what we know so far about these Entertainers."

"Please, go ahead."

A shorter silence and a heavy sigh, then: "Have you ever heard of gladiators, Nico Robin?" From the quick intake of breath at his right, Zoro figured she had. And they weren't good news.

"I thought their games were banned by the World Government," Robin said, her voice strangely steady.

"They were, but like the human auctions on the Shabondy Archipelago, some instances survive today."

"They have relations to the _Tenryuubito_?"

"Supposedly. I don't know much about that."

"I apologize for the interruption. Please continue."

"The Entertainers apparently kidnap Devil Fruit users for their games. They… prefer… captains and high-ranking officers, as they provide more of a show." Tashigi paused, and Zoro cracked an eye open, curious. The Marine swordswoman was biting her lip and looked disturbed. "And then they… make them fight."

"… I see." Robin was deathly calm, as she usually was when discussing morbid topics. Zoro listened to the ship creak and wondered what gladdy-aters were.

"Where are they?" asked Robin.

"An island to the north of where we are now, called Tatak. We have a map, if your navigator would like to see it."

"That would be appreciated." Tashigi produced it from a pocket and tossed it to the other end of the table. It tapped Zoro's boots. "_Arigatou_." Robin picked it up from the table. "That leaves us with unfinished business, yes?" she asked Tashigi. "What is it that we can do for you in exchange for this information?"

Tashigi swallowed and bit her lip. "We need your help getting past their defenses." Zoro opened his eyes in surprise and stared at her. "If I knew we had enough men I wouldn't have had to lower myself to this, but we don't have many left after the Entertainers came. And Marine HQ is far enough away that… we don't have that kind of time." She looked at Zoro, unsurprised to find him awake, and he could see the pleading in her eyes she was desperately trying to hide from him. "We've been following you for almost twenty days now, and even _Senchou_ was surprised when you stopped and started to head back toward us. He thought you must have figured out we were behind you, but you were going extremely slow, and you were zig-zagging back and forth." She bowed her head. "I now know why. You were looking for him." Zoro looked away, remembering.

She suddenly looked up, her face fierce. "It was three days ago that they tried to take Smoker, and we fought with everything that we had, but they were too strong. We lost many good men, and so we are here before you. Will you or will you not help us?"

Zoro didn't answer. _They fought?_ he thought. _They saw them? That… that's not possible… if these stupid Marines heard 'em, why the hell didn't we?_ He shook off that train of thought, afraid where it might lead. Usopp had been on watch that fateful night, and Sanji, Nami, and Franky were still giving him the silent treatment. Zoro knew it would do no good to get mad all over again.

Robin was looking at him for an answer, and Sanji was impatiently puffing smoke. He breathed deeply and said, "Fine. We'll go with you." He could hear Sanji's teeth click as they bit through the cigarette.

Tashigi bowed. "We'll start tomorrow morning, then. Have your navigator look at that map. Be ready to sail as the dawn breaks."

Zoro nodded dismissively. The Marines filed out behind Tashigi and Mustache Man, and once outside Nami counted their heads and escorted them back to their boat. When they were all over the side, she exhaled in relief and tossed Zoro an appraising look. "Well? What did they want?"

Zoro scratched the back of his head. "Smoker was taken by the same people who took Luffy. So we're gonna work together and get them both back." He grimaced. "They lost a bunch of men when the Entertainers attacked."

Nami's eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but seemed to be at a loss for words. "No… no, they can't have – they didn't _fight_ them, did they?" Being found, her voice was quickly escalating to a shriek. "They can't have! Why? Why did they hear them and we didn't? How – what – _why…_? It's not _fair_! _Damn Usopp_!"

Zoro glanced behind her to the quivering figure slowly backing away. The long nose pointed at the deck. In the dark Zoro couldn't see his face, but if he had to guess, he would say Usopp was crying. The figure suddenly turned and ran away.

He sighed, mentally kicking himself for telling Nami so much. But then Chopper ran after the disappearing figure, and he took his mind off the matter. Chopper could handle it – the little reindeer could often cure more than just physical injuries. He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… uh, Robin has a map for you. We're going to an island that way."

He pointed north.

"South?" Nami asked him offhandedly.

His cheeks reddened. "Uh, ngk—no, _that_ way. Can't you see where I'm pointing, woman?"

"You were pointing south!"

"N-No, I wasn't! I was pointing _that _way! North, dammit!"

"… … That's west…"

"Whatever! Go north! Robin's got the damn map! Why the hell're you asking _me_?"

Nami tapped her lips, a smile ghosting her features. "Why indeed."

Zoro stalked back to the mast and flopped down to take another nap, grumbling about bitchy navigators being know-it-alls. Nami thanked heaven that Sanji was in the kitchen, out of earshot of Zoro's blasphemes against her. She didn't want this little moment ruined by one of those two's fights. Bickering with Zoro about his problematic sense of direction had relieved some of her nerves, as strange as that might be. But recently, he had just been so different from the Zoro she'd known before Luffy was taken. Then, they had known where the other stood, so since Zoro had become the captain – even if it was temporary – things were still weird. He and Sanji only verbally fought now, as though Sanji had gained sudden respect for the position Zoro now held. Nami found herself asking him for permission for course changes – which was utterly ridiculous, they both knew. He always deferred to her expertise on the matter, yet she kept asking.

The biggest surprise had come when he'd started making real decisions. It shocked her to realize that underneath that stupid, directionless exterior there was a strong leader, capable of holding the Straw Hats together in the absence of their captain. She remembered for a quiet moment that morning, close to noon, when the crew had gathered on the grassy lawn of the Sunny and sat, dazed, looking at one another confusedly…

_Sanji flicked his lighter repeatedly, the spark refusing to catch. That was the only sound against the waves and wind. The sails had been raised and an anchor dropped, so the ship rocked idly in place. Click click click click click – thunk, then, as Sanji frustratedly threw the device against a wall. He spat out the cig and started to absently twist it apart, staring at the grass._

_This is so not Super, commented Franky, his emotive features utterly depressed. What do we do now?_

_Nami opened her mouth but nothing came out._

_The lawn was silent._

_Chopper sniffled. Sanji refused to meet her look of askance. Zoro stood and walked to the rail, grasping it with angry hands. He gazed out to sea but said nothing. Robin looked as though she had been punched in the gut and was breathing raggedly. Usopp – she looked around – was nowhere to be seen._

_She opened her mouth again to ask someone where he'd gone, but Zoro said –_

_We look for him_

_– as though it were the most obvious thing in the world._

_Turn around. We'll go back the way we came. To the last island. Back. Retrace our steps. Ask anyone, everyone, and find him. He faced them again. Nami, figure out a route back. He looked around at the half-incredulous, half-awed faces. Well? What's with those depressed faces? Let's go!_

Nami set her jaw in determination, walking swiftly to the galley to retrieve the map from Robin. Those _were _her orders, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

I apologize for the long wait. I couldn't get this scene right. After Chapter 598 I had a decision to make: rewrite to stay canon, or keep going as I'd originally intended. Unusually for me, I have decided to stay true to my original storyline. Probably out of laziness. Anyway, from now on the Strawhats will be different from how Oda made them after the separation. If this upsets you... I don't care! D

Anyhow, please enjoy! It's time for Luffy to appear in this story!

* * *

"Mugiwara," rumbled a deep voice nearby. He tried to lift his head to turn it and succeeded only in scraping his ear an inch along the life-sucking rock. He groaned, and the man who had spoken laughed darkly. "Get up," he ordered, in a tone used to being obeyed.

Luffy opened his eyes and frowned weakly. The voice felt familiar. "Do I know you?" he asked, petulantly not moving.

"Get up and look at me, Mugiwara noLuffy."

"Naaa…" he murmured, blinking, and valiantly scraped his ear again. "Where're Sanji and Zoro? I can't moooove and I'm hunnngry," he whined. "And who the hell are you?"

The man sighed. "How the hell… a brat like you…" he contemplated regretfully.

"The hell do you mean, a brat like me?" The ear scraped again, and Luffy found the strength from somewhere to move his arm so his hand was planted, palm-down, on the stone floor where he lay. "Where's my crew?" he demanded.

"How the hell would I know that? I'm trapped here just as you are."

"Trapped?" Luffy screwed up his face and thought. He hadn't had to think this much since Snake-lady Island, and it _hurt_. "Have the Marines captured us?"

"No, dumbass! I _am_ a Marine!"

"_Whaat?_"

He lifted his head, turned it quickly, and let it fall back to the floor. After ringing stopped (rock was _hard_), he focused on the man in the cage adjacent to his own. A little bit more thought, and—

"SMOKEY!Why are you here? Ahhh, don't capture me. I can't move."

A vein ticked in Smoker's forehead. "I can't capture you, because _I'm trapped here too! I just said that!_"

"Ohhh… good."

And he grinned.

Smoker rolled his eyes. "Why are you grinning like an idiot?"

"Because you can help me escape and get back to my crew! Shishishishi," he laughed.

"_What?_ Wh—how—no! Why the hell would I help you get back to your crew? I'm a Marine, dammit!"

"But you're trapped here too. Don't you want to get out?"

"_Of course I do! But I'm either leaving you behind, or taking you with me back to Marine HQ for trial as a pirate! Damn brat!_"

Luffy stopped grinning and blinked. "Someone's coming," he said calmly, and then pushed with his palm against the floor. He rolled over onto his back. And then, with what seemed a great effort, he heaved himself into a sitting position. He swayed a little. "I guess it's tomorrow already."

The skin around Smoker's eyes creased. "What does that mean?"

The boy had an odd look, like he hadn't been grinning and laughing a moment ago, like he'd never laughed or grinned in his life. Now he was all seriousness, and he radiated an almost deadly aura. "It means it's my turn."

"For what?" The boy didn't answer as the footsteps and the sound of keys jangling on a ring approached. "Mugiwara! What's going on?" A large figure stood outside the cell, flipping keys around the ring, searching for the one to unlock the door.

"Now, where's that damn key, eh, Mugiwara?" he joked.

Luffy glared at him. Smoker's eyes became slits as he watched the confrontation between the pirate and his jailer.

"Eh, here it is!" The shadowed figure unlocked the door and swung it open.

The pirate didn't move. The figure in the doorway threw back his head and laughed. "What's this? The infamous Mugiwara noLuffy, who declared war on the World Government without a second thought, who defeated Shichibukai and the CP9 with a single punch, who raided Impel Down and fought in the Battle of Marinford and lived to tell the tale—this man can't get up? It's just a little seastone!"

The jailer poked his head forward into the dim light of the cell. He had shoulder-length curly hair and a gold tooth, and some strange crown of leaves on his head. He had a round, boyish face that was marred by the grin that was too large and the crazed, glazed look in his eye. He pushed his girth into the cell and Smoker could see all of him: dressed in a strange, dirty white robe with a sash of dark green silk tied at the waist, he carried no weapon, but instead a golden goblet holding a dark liquid was clasped loosely in his hand. He leered at Luffy. "Heshesheh!" he giggled, and gulped some of the drink. "Or maybe, the great pirate-king-wannabe is afraid of the fight before him? Eh?"

"Where are my nakama?" Luffy demanded coldly. Smoker raised an eyebrow. The brat's crew couldn't be here—he had followed them after these Entertainers captured their captain. He knew they were still manning the pirate ship.

The jailer frowned. "We didn't take them, you sop," he said angrily, smacking the boy in the face. The rubber man let the force of the blow take its toll, and he crashed to the ground on his side. "How many times do I have to tell you, eh?"

"Mugiwara," said Smoker uncertainly.

Luffy sat back up slowly and again turned his glare on the jailer. "Tell me where they are."

"I don't know!" He hit him again, but again Luffy got back up to glare. "Stop giving me that look! And come with me. Your game time is in an hour."

"No."

The open hand slammed him again into the ground, and he stayed there. "I talked to that monk guy. I won't go," he declared from the floor. A bare foot followed the hand and ground his face into the rock.

"_You'll do as you're told_," growled the jailer, and he gulped again from his goblet. Then he leaned over and plucked Luffy's collar, lifting the smaller man into the air.

Smoker was mildly disturbed (though not surprised) to see the trickle of blood running down the side of the brat's face from a cut on his forehead. Though the jailer had meant for the words to wound, he had been accurate in his description of Monkey D. Luffy's past feats. It was irritating to know that one so strong _could_ be brought so low by something as stupid as rock. And just as irritating was the knowledge that Smoker himself—as strong as _he_ was—was just as vulnerable to it.

Luffy wore a blank, angry look, and glared at the jailer for a long time. Smoker wondered for a moment why the kid didn't strike the larger man—as drunk as he was, he would not be much of a foe—until he realized that perhaps the reason the brat didn't move really was because he couldn't. "Che," he said quietly, and looked away.

And then he heard the brat spit.

The jailer yelled and clanged the goblet against Luffy's head with a loud ringing sound. Luffy lost consciousness and sagged in the large man's grasp. He tossed the limp body out into the corridor and wiped his face with his sleeve. "My face—you brat—I'll have you—"

"Oi," said Smoker calmly. "Where are you taking him?" The rotund jailer blinked and swung his head around in surprise, but Smoker didn't let him speak. "It's rude to take other peoples' prisoners away from them. Especially from the Marines. And that man is my prisoner," he informed him. "I will be taking him to Marinford for judgment after I am released from here."

The jailer gazed dumbly at him, before barking suddenly in laughter. "Re-re-released? Hah! The only way out of here is to pass through death's door! You'll not be taking him anywhere, because you'll be _here_!"

He leaned forward to smirk through the bars that separated Smoker's cell from Luffy's. "You'll be here… for the rest of your life. !"

_That's damned inconvenient_, Smoker thought as the man dragged Luffy away and the cell door clanged shut.

The jailer, whose name was Marcus, spitefully thrust Luffy under some water falling from the rocky ceiling on the way to the arena to wake him up. The young pirate captain spluttered and gagged, for it was seawater. Marcus laughed heartily at him and continued to drag him along the ground towards the arena.

"I won't fight. Take me back."

"Oh, you'll fight, Mugiwara," he laughed. "If you don't, you'll suffer a slow and painful death!" he added with glee.

Luffy was silent, which he took to mean he'd gotten the message.

They waited for a few minutes in the corridor just outside the arena while Marcus listened to the announcer's cue for Luffy to be thrown in. "_Everyone, please give a hearty welcome to… Mugiwara… no… Luffy!_"

Luffy felt himself flying through the air. The light hit his unadjusted eyes and they watered. His feet caught the ground and he tumbled over them, rolling to a stop in the dusty dirt that made up the floor of the arena. It was then that his hearing seemed to come back, as well as a little of his strength. _This floor was not made of seastone_.

The crowd in the stands was going wild. Apparently, many of them already knew who he was from his recent adventures. The announcer said something Luffy didn't catch, and suddenly a hush fell over the crowds. Everyone was murmuring and writing on tiny scraps of paper, which they then put into pipes that led down into the ground. _Weird_.

He sat up and crossed his legs, placing his hands on his knees. And then he closed his eyes. The announcer said, "As many of you know, Mugiwara no Luffy has recently gained the highest bounty of all the Supernovas! He ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi, and he has trained his rubber powers in order to become the strongest rookie the world has ever seen! He intends to become _the Pirate King_!" A huge cheer followed this speech. When it died down, the announcer continued.

"His opponent is first mate on another Supernovas' ship—maybe not the strongest of the strong, but sure to put up a good fight! His name is Talun, and he has a bounty of 50 million berries! His weapon of choice: two long knives! Who will win? The famed man of rubber, whom bullets cannot stop? Or someone carrying the means of destroying him through his one weakness: his inability to stop a blade? _Let the game begin!_"

Then the crowd started counting down from ten. "_Ten! Nine! Eight!..._"

Luffy opened his eyes and met the sly look of his would-be opponent. "I'm not going to fight you," he told him calmly from across the arena.

The other man was tall but not very strong-looking, though Luffy knew looks could be deceiving. He was also a little bit older; his hair was grey and he had wrinkles that made him look like a rat. "What?" he asked, incredulously (and with no small amount of relief).

"They can't make me fight someone I don't wanna fight. I don't want to fight you." He tilted his head. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

The man lowered his knives and smiled. "I thought you were the one Cap'n had talked to. I'm the Demon-Monk's first mate, Talun." He smiled wider, showing some gold teeth. "I've heard about you, that you're not a treasure pirate. What the hell you in this business for?"

"I'm going to be Pirate King."

Talun laughed. "You can't be Pirate King without any treasure."

"I'm going to find One Piece. That's enough treasure for me." He paused, and then grinned. "Though a gold statue would be cool!"

Talun laughed again, and then they laughed together. Neither realized that the people in the stadium had gone quieter than a ghost town.

The announcer interrupted their laughter. "_What… did you say, Monkey D. Luffy?_"

His gaiety disappeared as swiftly as it had come. "I said I wouldn't fight him."

Talun looked nervous. "Look, maybe we should go ahead and fight… or pretend, or something…"

"No, you might get hurt."

"Oi, I'm not that weak!"

"Shishishi, I like you!"

"_I'm serious_!"

"_Both of you, be silent!_" shouted the announcer. "_I'm coming down there._"

There was a clicking noise as of a DenDen Mushi receiver being replaced, and then footsteps. Luffy watched the staircase underneath the announcer's box expressionlessly, while Talun put up his knives again and started to shout, "Okay, okay! I'll fight him! You don't need to punish me! Please, I'll fight anybody you ask! Anybody at all!" He crossed his knives and looked at Luffy, who punched him in the head without moving his gaze from the staircase. Talun fell and stayed down.

A white boot appeared on the steps, followed by another. Then shiny white-plastic-coated suit legs, studded with sapphires. A belt of gold, and more white suit up to a bubble of glass encasing a head that was angrily looking down its short nose at the commoners.

Luffy's face transformed into a mask of fury. "Oh, it's one of _you_."

"Yes," said the angry face with the pug nose behind the glass. "I am a Tenryuubito, one of the World Nobles, the highest class of being in this world! I believe you remember what happened last time you messed with one of our kind, do you not, Monkey D. Luffy? Your crew was destroyed, your brother executed…"

"_You hurt somebody I liked_."

Talun had woken up and was watching the exchange from the ground, slowly scooting away from the Tenryuubito. He'd heard what had happened at the Archipelago, how the cyborg Shichibukai Bartholomew Kuma had attacked, and the Straw Hat crew had only just managed to escape. The reason he was here now was because his captain had been captured and brought here, and he had led a rescue attempt that failed. He did not want to get in the Tenryuubito's way again.

The Tenryuubito was even angrier than he had been before. "Why should we care what happens to people you like? That fish was trying to steal what my cousin rightfully owned! And you will learn to _respect us_, scum!" The Tenryuubito had drawn a gun. Talun cowered on the ground.

Luffy planted his feet and crossed his arms, a grin that didn't touch his eyes stretching his face. "That won't work," he said calmly.

The Tenryuubito grinned back, raising an eyebrow. "Do you think I am a fool? These bullets are made of _seastone_, stupid pirate. They'll nullify your rubber qualities and tear into your flesh like any normal bullet would to a regular human."

Luffy's grin disappeared but was not replaced by anything resembling fear. If anything, he looked even more determined. "I won't fight him," he repeated, his voice loud and strong. Talun was shocked. Was this kid _insane_? "You can hurt me, you can even kill me, but you can't make me fight anyone. Especially not someone I like."

The gun was shaking in the Tenryuubito's hand. Someone shouted, "Please, Saint Rosen-san! Do not shoot, you may not hit—"

Saint Rosen whirled and shot the man in the box who had been warning him. "Even when I am angry I have perfect aim," he said calmly to the spectators. "Take the body away. As for you, Monkey D. Luffy, you will be _punished_. Take him to the Field of Crosses! Let him spend a day there, and then we'll see how strong his _will_ is!"

"Hey, where are you taking me?" Luffy shouted as seastone handcuffs again closed around his wrists. Talun lifted his eyes from the ground for just one second, and met the other pirate's eyes. And then he did something Talun would remember for years to come.

He smiled at him.

Then they dragged him away, and Talun returned his focus to the ground. Sweat dripped down his nose, and his knife handles were slick in his hands. He carefully replaced them in their sheaths and then waited for someone to notice him. Maybe they'll let me go back to my cell without fighting…

"Marcus, find another prisoner to fight this coward. Quickly. I don't like having to wait for my entertainment." Saint Rosen was returning to his top box.

Talun swallowed. So much for that.


End file.
